Founded nearly 40 years ago by a geologist with a passion for using permanent molds to cast aluminum, Outdoor Lifestyle has grown from its South African roots to become an international player in today's outdoor furniture industry. The company began to grow rapidly in the mid '80s with the addition of a new partner, Fred Ilse. His acumen in managing the company's Cape Town manufacturing operations was the driving force that led others towards establishing a North American distribution network. Ilse is the president of Outdoor Lifestyle managing operations at the United States production facility which serves the US, Canadian and Caribbean markets. Our original South Africa plant, which serves the South African, European, Australian and Middle Eastern markets, is managed by Ilse's brother, Hans Ilse.
American manufacturing operations are housed within a 70,000 square foot state-of-the-art facility based in Stanley, North Carolina. Here the premium A356 high-grade aluminum castings are assembled according to dealer or customer special order. The company does not sell to mass merchants, preferring instead to focus its efforts on the specialty retail, contract and hospitality markets. Consequently, the client retains control over the entire selection process (by being able to choose their piece, hand-made cushions, finishes, etc). Indeed, by supplying furnishings singularly this way, instead of mass producing their product, the company is able deliver product quickly and attains an outstanding level of quality control (a return rate of less than 0.05%). This means that clients who purchase a piece of Outdoor Lifestyle furniture frequently come back to us and recommend our products to friends and family.
We offer clients a wide range of product running the gamut from classic traditional to contemporary styles, in dining, bar, sling and lounge seating arrangements. This, coupled with the wide selection of durable, eye-catching finishes we offer, is one of the reasons why so many Contract designers specifically request Outdoor Lifestyle furnishings when they need attractive, solid, comfortable furnishings appropriate for use in hotels, restaurants, country clubs and civic venues. Indeed, if you take the time to look at a piece of cast aluminum furniture, you shouldn't be surprised to find our Outdoor Lifestyle brand mark prominently placed on it. The growth of our Contract Market has led the company towards crafting a greater number of generously proportioned seating and dining selections. Should a client be looking for a particular sling or cushion fabric, our relationship with Sunbrella® fabrics offers them a world of choice.
We are exceptionally proud of our role as a founding member of the Sustainable Furnishings Council, a group that seeks to promote and incorporate environmentally responsible practices throughout the entire furniture manufacturing process. As other “green” technologies become available the company is committed to using them too, for we believe our industry has a strong role to play towards responsible stewardship of the Earth.
We hope you will take the time to learn more about Outdoor Lifestyle from our many dealers, or by sending an inquiry through our website. We believe that we not only make the best when it comes to quality cast aluminum furniture, but that we're going far beyond the rest in creating a product that is enjoyable, comfortable, durable, solid and best of all—environmentally friendly. As you admire one of our furnishings we ask you to think seriously about this. Once you do, we think your decision between buying us or something else will be a simple and natural one to make.